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July 3, 2009—President Obama received poor reviews for his performance at his heavily-orchestrated July 1 Town Hall Meeting on Healthcare. Prior to the meeting, the normally docile White House press corps attacked Obama for both choosing all the attendees, and pre-screening the questions that would be asked.

The Washington Times reported that of the seven questions asked, four were hand-picked by the White House. The other three came from the George Soros apparatus supporting Obama: the Service Employees International Union, Healthcare for America Now, and the Democratic National Committee-run Organizing for America.

At the White House press conference preceeding the Town Meeting, three journalists uncharacteristically complained to Gibbs that the public was being controlled. CBS's chief correspondent, Chip Reid, said, "This sounds like a very tightly controlled audience and list of questions. Why do it that way? It's not really open..."

When White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tried to dodge Reid's question, senior White House correspondent Helen Thomas spoke up: "We have never had that in the White House. I'm amazed that you people ... call for openness and transparency."

After the White House press conference ended, Thomas told CNS News, "Nixon didn't try to do that. They couldn't control [the media]. They didn't try that. What the hell do they think we are, puppets? They're supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them. I'm not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well for the town halls, for the press conferences. It's blatant. They don't give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame."

Thomas also exposed that the White House press corps are called the night before press conferences, and told they will be called on.